At the Age of
by Fuzzelball
Summary: When Loki was a kid, he practised spells and pulled pranks on others. But what if one day he is so bored that he sneaks out to Midgard and meets somebody... (Loki x OC)
1. 10

When I first saw her, we were mere children that just had reached the age of ten.

She was a Midgardian, nothing special, compared to a god like me, but she had something, a little something that made her interesting. She was intelligent, knowing that there was something else, something higher than her and her fellow mortals.

I had sneaked down to Midgard, or Earth how they called it. She sat alone on a bench reading a book, while the others were busy with playing their silly games. She was so deep in her own little world that she did not even notice that I was talking to her. I was more than just irritated, after all I was a prince of Asgard. This ignorant Midgardian was supposed to worship me.

And she was ignoring me! This was outrageous. I tried a few times to get her attention, but she did not look up from the scripture she was reading. I finally lost my patience. I got a firm grip on her book and ripped it out of her grasp.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she yelled and pulled the book back.

"I am trying to make you aware of my presence for quite some time, you puny girl!" I retorted. Even though Mother had taught me to be polite towards woman, I simply could not help it.

"Puny?! Did you just call me puny?!" It seemed that I insulted her more than I originally intended to, but now it was too late to apologize.

"Indeed, I called you puny, because you are." I could imagine that this was my doom.

"Why you little!" she roared and pounce on me. She was so fast that I did not even see her flying towards me before she had pinned me to the ground. "Who's the puny one now?"

"You are strong, I give you that, but you have proven your point, so get down from me," I demanded.

"Not. In that. Tone," she spat right back.

"What ? You dare to speak to me in such a manner? Do you not know who you are talking to?"

"Shakespeare in the park?" She still had me lying beneath her.

"No, I am Loki." I glared at her with all my might. "And you better show some respect."

She let out a laugh. "Show respect, to you?"

It suddenly became clear to me that I was not acting very polite either, so I changed my course. "Maybe we should make a fresh start. Hello, my name is Loki. May I now inquire your name?"

She relaxed visibly and finally removed herself from me. "I'm Cassandra."

Cassandra. Never have I met a girl like her, but then again, I had never really talked to anyone, because they would rather be listening to my brother's rambling than to me. "I am pleased to meet you." I bowed slightly. When I straightened up again, I noticed her staring at me funnily.

"You're not from here, are you?"

"That is right, Cassandra."

"I know it may sound strange if I ask you that, but are you, by any chance, from… I don't know… Asgard?"

She was pretty quick at figuring out that fact. I thought about lying to her, but what would it do. I had the feeling that she could see though my act. "I am." So I decided tell her the truth.

"So, I pretty much almost beat a god?"

"Basically, yes," I chuckled.

She giggled, a sound that normally was indicating my brother's presence, but not now. Now, there was no Thor she could admire, no Thor to be picked over me. She was laughing because of me. Just knowing this warmed my heart immensely for a reason I should be able to comprehend later.

"Wow, I didn't think my day could get so weird, but how can I be sure that you are the real Loki and this is not some kind of trick?"

I blinked at her before I looked around briefly. When nobody was watching us, I held out my palm towards her. A dim, green glow appeared in mid-air and stretched out, forming a flower. The glow turned darker, as it grew less translucent, and finally materialized a pearly white rose.

She was astounded when I handed her the delicate plant. She smiled at me. It was a genuine smile, not one of those full of pity or mockery. This one was a smile of happiness. "Thanks," she blushed.

I smiled right back, yet I started thinking about needing to go home very soon. Heimdall most likely had already noticed my disappearance. I caught myself thinking about possibilities to smuggle her to Asgard, but I quickly realized that I knew of no spell to conceal her from Heimdall's all-seeing eyes. There was only one possibility.

"Loki? You're alright?" She was waving a hand in front of my face.

"Yes," I replied without facing her. "But unfortunately, I have to return home. I am afraid my mother is already worried sick."

She looked crestfallen. "I see… will you come back here ever again? I could show you some pretty awesome stuff around here."

I smiled at her hopeful expression. She meant well and what was even more important, she was honest. "I do not know, but I will try my very best, dear Cassandra."


	2. 14

The next time I saw her was four years later. Thor and his friends had dragged me along. Despite my indifference that I showed towards them, I was ecstatic. I had already thought of a plan to sneak away from the others. It was simple. I seemed to have underestimated their stupidity when I teleported to the place where I had met her.

I materialized on a branch of a tree next to the bench where she had been sitting. I knew that it was foolish to believe that she would be sitting there all day, just waiting for me. Maybe she had forgotten me and had gone on with her life, it had been four years after all…

I was close to admitting defeat, but I had to at least try to find her.

I sighed and looked downwards, right on the wooden bench. Somebody sat there. Long brown hair and slender fingers holding a book was all

I could make out clearly, but I recognized her anyways.

"… Cassandra…"

Her head jerked up a bit, looking around for the one who had called her.

"Up here, dearest."

She stiffened for a moment before she lifted her gaze. I would recognize those crystal blue eyes everywhere.

"Loki," she grinned up at me and I smirked back. "Come down from there."

I looked around the park to see that we were alone, so I jumped down from my branch and landed beside here. She jumped up from her seat and hugged me tightly to herself. It was a pleasant feeling, to be held like that.

"I thought you'd forgotten me," she said when she released me, still smiling.

"Actually, Thor and those friends of his have dragged me along when they said they would go on a journey. I had not known that they intended to come here."

"And what do they want here?"

"I know not, neither do I care." I paused, looking at her. "I am glad though, to have found you again." I smiled.

"Same here." Suddenly, we both leant in, when the inevitable just had to happen right then, in this particular moment.

"BROTHER! There you are!" my brother's obnoxious voice boomed though the park and even chased the birds away.

"WHAT is it, Thor?" I hissed, glaring.

"We want to go home." His eyes fell on Cassandra. "Who's that Midgardian maiden?"

"She is none-"

"I'm Cassandra."

"Ha! Confident, aren't we?" He walked up to us. "So, you're the one my brother has chosen to be his new 'friend'." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, why are you asking?"

"Well, I actually thought my brother would choose somebody with a bit more class to be his temporary mate."

Thankfully, I understood before she did. "Thor, enough!"

He turned to me, laughing right in my face. "What? I'm just pointing out what it looks like."

"And what does it look like?" she asked, but I paid her no heed.

"It is certainly not what it looks like. You are wrong."

"So, you two-"

"We are not."

"Ah, I see, alright." Thor turned to his friends again and they started walking back to the place we had arrived at.

I turned back to Cassandra, only to find her glaring at me. "Cassandra-"

"We are not, huh? We are not what?"

"I did not mean that. I just did not want Thor to-"

"To what? To know that you like a simple, worthless, puny Midgardian?"

"Cassa-"

"Am I just a game for you?"

That question broke my heart. "N-no!"

"Save it for someone who cares," she whispered and turned to go, striding in the opposite direction.

"No! Wait!" I ran after her, determined to stop her. "Cassandra." I held her back.

She turned around again, but only to slap me right in the face. "Piss off, Loki."

She ran. I could hear her cry while I held my reddening cheek. I just stood on the spot, trying to process what had just happened for several minutes before I walked back.

"Finally!" Thor shouted. "Have you taken her for goodbye or what took you so long?" The Warriors Three snickered, while Lady Sif just rolled her eyes, unimpressed.

I replied nothing, just standing and waiting for Heimdall to bring us home.

At the palace, however, I finally lost my temper.

"You imbecile," I muttered.

"What?"

"Why, in Odin's name, are you such a retarded oaf?!" I shouted. "Have you just a hint of an idea what misery you have just caused me?!" I jumped on him and threw him to the floor to punch him as many times as I could. "You have once again destroyed my life!"


	3. 16

Sorry for the crappy spells in this chapter

I had been cross with my brother ever since this day. The first woman that had shown interest in me and, surely, Thor had to drive her away.

I had searched a possibility to return to Midgard and talk to her in private, but it was to no avail. Heimdall saw everything and he always told Father.

"Why are you so interested in going down to Midgard?"

"I thought Heimdall told you everything."

"He did, but I want to hear the reason from you."

"I want to speak to her! You do know what Thor had done and said, do you not?"

"Sadly, I do. That was more than uncalled for. But-"

"Indeed, it was. So I have to-"

"You still know the rules. Your interaction with this mortal-"

"Her name is Cassandra."

"-was already forbidden, that you showed her magic even in this small amount, was against the laws of Asgard."

"The laws…" I could not contain my rage and let out a roar.

"Loki…" I heard my mother call, but I chose to ignore her, to great was my rage and I was afraid I would say something I would regret later.

I stormed out of the throne room and to my chambers. There had to be a way to at least see how she was doing-

**See.**

Of course. I had spent the last two years with trying to sneak out to Midgard, but I had never thought about only contacting her. Sometimes, I was sure that I had been spending way too much time with Thor. I ran over to my bookshelf, then back to the door.

**"Help me now and keep it locked this door for those who have me mocked. Hold them up and keep from me, just this once I bid for thee."**

Immediately, a green sheen lay itself over the door. My magic was already powerful, but I still had no time to waste. I ran back into the room, to my mirror, the needed book already in hand when I recited the right spell.

**"I am stuck, but needed where, this loss I just could not bear. Show me the one who has my heart, so we shall never be apart."**

The mirror glass wavered like water before it became still again, and really, Cassandra sat in front of her mirror, looking bored out of her mind.

"Cassandra, can you hear me?" I shouted frantically.

"Whoa!" she yelped and fell backwards; apparently, she had heard me.

"Cassandra, are you hurt?"

"No." She peeked over the edge of her vanity. "Loki, is that you?"

"Yes, please, Cassandra, listen to me. I am so happy that I could finally contact you-"

"Yeah, I estimated it in approximately two years."

"Please, let me explain."

"What is there to 'explain'?" She emphasized the last word with both her index and middle finger.

"It was never my intention to hurt you. You have to believe me!"

"I don't have to believe anything, Loki."

I did not know what had come over me, but suddenly I fell to my knees. "What do I have to do, what to say, to make you believe me!" I leant forward, leaning on my forearms in defeat and started to sob involuntarily. It was a sign of weakness for an Asgardian prince to cry, but I could not help it. "Why am I so weak?"

"You are not weak."

I looked up at her, seeing her gazing at me sympathically.

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love." She smiled down at me, her own eyes watering as well. "The Trickster is telling me the truth?"

I got to my feet, my whole frame shaking. "Yes, he is." I reached out for her, but I could only feel the cold glass under my fingers. "I kiss you from up here. From Asgard, I shall love you."


	4. 27

Over the years, I had perfected my skills of hiding our little conversations. For the one at the age of fourteen, I had been severely punished, but I had endured it. It had been worth it.

We 'met' every day. In Asgard, it was night, in Midgard, it was morning. We spoke before I went to bed and she had to go out to work. She had explained everything about the Midgardian world, as I did about the Asgardian. And every time she had to go, I felt something pulling at my heartstrings.

And I knew exactly what it was.

But that was, sadly, not the only thing on my mind. Thor's 'great day of triumph' was fast approaching and do not think he had spared any opportunity to let everyone know came by.

Thor was banished. Never would I have thought that a single jest of mine could cause so much trouble.

But what had happened in Jotunheim made me more curious. What was the meaning of this? Did I really just ask that question? I could very well imagine what this would mean. But it could not be. As different, almost out of place, as I felt here in Asgard, as misfit as I thought I was here, I could not be…

No, this was ridiculous! I was born in Asgard. I am the Prince of Asgard. I might be the younger one, but I am of Asgard! Am I not…?

I strongly believed that I was mistaken and yet here I stood. In Odin's treasure room. In front of the Casket of Ancient Winters. I watched the blue energy swirl inside this powerful item, knowing the destruction it had brought and could still bring over the realms. I stood there for minutes or hours, I do not know anymore, just watching it, contemplating what to do next. But quickly, I made my decision. I reached for it and kept a firm grip on it as I lifted it up slowly.

"Stop!" I heard the Allfather's shout from the entrance. I did not turn to him, but I watched my skin change, starting at my fingertips and crawling up my arms.

"Am I cursed?" I still kept my back to him.

"No."

I tried to take deep breaths, to stay calm, but it did not work. Instead, I panicked slightly. I set the Casket down again. "What am I?"

"You are my son."

I finally turned to face Odin, feeling the cold radiating from my body cease. "What more than that?" I started walking towards my so-called father watching his face for just the slightest hint of emotion. "The Casket was not the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

He paused as I approached him. "No," he finally uttered when I stopped in front of the stairs. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into their temple and I found a baby, small for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

I was not able to think clearly. Not only was I a Frost Giant, not only an enemy of what I had thought was my family, but the son of their king? "Laufey's son?" I looked around the room in shock. There was just one question floating through my mind at that very moment. "Why?" I looked up at him. "You were knee-deep in Jotun blood, why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child-"

"No. you took me for a purpose. What was it?"

He was silent, simply staring at me, unnerving me.

"TELL ME!"

"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring peace, through you."

"What?"

"But those plans no longer matter."

"So I am no more than a stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me."

"Now, you are twisting my words."

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?"

"You're my son. I only wanted to protect you from the truth."

"Why? Because I'm the monster that parents tell stories to their children at night? You know, it all makes sense now, why you favoured Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claimed to love me, you could not have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"  
And before I knew it, Odin was laying on the stairs, unconscious… I bowed down, tentatively reaching out for him. He was fast asleep. He had fallen into the Odin sleep. I did not know what to do, so I screamed for help. The guards rushed in at my anxious call and were immediately at the Allfather's side.

With Odin out of my way, I could finally prove myself as a ruler, as the true king of Asgard. With lying to Thor about Odin's alleged death, he would not be a problem either.

The only thing that was missing was a queen by my side.

_My_ queen.

I had failed. I had failed miserably.

I had not managed to extinct the Jotun, I had not managed to stay king of Asgard and I was certainly not even a true Odinson.

And Cassandra. I would never see her again. I would be confined in a cell in a realm that I once called home. It was a lie. A lie that was impossible to be distinguished from the truth. A lie that even fooled the trickster himself.

So I let go.

I saw no reason in holding on.

I fell into the Void. The last thoughts on my mind were of her.

I awoke on hard ground. It felt like a path. Maybe I had ended up in Helheim. Well, this way, I could spend some time with my dear daughter…

I finally opened my eyes and let them wander over my surroundings and I instantly recognized them. A bench, a tree, a pond, a playground.

I was on Midgard. At that place… I got up and stumbled along the path. It was night, so no one saw me as I continued on the foreign streets of this realm.

After what felt like hours, I stopped, standing there, in front of a brick wall. A simple, red brick wall was blocking my way. I raised my head… a window. Reaching for it and simultaneously sinking to the cold ground, my hand squeaked as it slid down the smooth glass. On my hands and knees, I curled up and drifted in and out of consciousness, but before I could fully submerge into it, I heard a call… for me. Was it truly possible? "Loki!" It could not be… "Loki, wake up! Please!"

I pried open my heavy lids to gaze right into her bright blue eyes. She was gathering me into her arms, holding and warming me. I thought I had died; it was impossible that I could have so much luck.

"Loki, look at me! Do not fall asleep."

"I think I already am asleep… this can only be a dream," I murmured.

"Dream or not, we have to get you inside where it's warm."

She hauled me to my feet, at least she tried to, letting me lean on her, while she led me through the darkness. However, it got brighter and brighter until I realized she half-carried me into a house. It was so pleasantly warm in here that I almost fell asleep on her.

"Just up the stairs, just a moment, Loki."

She more pulled than led me upstairs and awkwardly opened a door. I was laid down on a soft something I assumed to be a mattress. Immediately, I cuddled into the soft warmth, finally giving my mind and body a rest.

I awoke to an unbearable brightness. I buried my face further in the pillows surrounding my aching body, breathing in their sweet and somewhat familiar scent. And everything came back to me. My fall from the shattered remains of the Bifrost, my struggle through the dark and cold Midgardian streets and finally her.

I had found her. But I could not imagine that this was real. There was simply no way that I was so immensely lucky.

I turned to my other side, facing away from the light, trying once again to lose consciousness and find some rest in what I supposed to be her bed. Only then I realized that she was not next to me or anywhere in the room, for that matter. But where could she have spent the night then?

I forced my battered body out of the bed and realized just how sore I truly was. I winced, but limped towards the door, ready to explore this Midgardian domain.

It seemed this house only had two floors. I walked around the upper floor first, discovering another empty bedroom, a bathroom and what seemed to be a very messy storage room. But no trace of my host.

I decided to go downstairs, finding a wide and almost wall-less living space. I could directly see into the living area and a kitchen. The entire room was flooded with the light of the rising sun, reflecting off the dark wooden floor and white walls. I took the last few steps and walked around silently, stopping here and there to admire the small Midgardian trinket Cassandra had already told me about. I looked around some more, finally realizing that I was indeed not alone in this house.

I heard a sigh from one of the black leather couches, quiet, but audible. I sneaked over and peeked over the backrest and there she lay, curled up into a ball like a cat with a blanket wrapped around her lithe body. I stepped around the piece of furniture and knelt down in front of it, watching her sleeping form for quite a while. I reached out for her, resting my hand on her head. She continued to breathe lightly and steadily, not noticing my presence just yet. My fingers slid down her cheek, my thump on her bottom lip. It had been ages since I had last seen her. "Cassandra… dearest, wake up."

She stirred, but stayed asleep. I could not help, but grin at her adorable defiance. I slid my hand under her head, the other stayed put, as I leant down and kissed her forehead and finally she blinked her eyes open. Her eyes darted around the room for a moment, unfocused until she became aware of my hands on her cheeks. Her eyes finally met mine.

"Good morning, my love."


	5. 33

_Thirty-three..._

It had been six years. Six years since I had more or less voluntarily left Asgard, and of course I missed it, more the throne of it, but still. The only person I was missing was my dear mother. Even though she was not my real mother, I could not help myself… I hope she would be proud of me if she could have seen me like this.

I was married and a father now. I had taken her name after she accepted to wed me, both to forget and to hide. I had heard about Thor's deeds on Midgard, and with him being here, the probability of him discovering me increased, endangering my family. The Asgardian laws were hard and, to me, not fair in the slightest. I had hidden myself and them from Heimdall's all-seeing eyes and I was sure that if we were to be found, the Allfather would take my wife and child from me. Permanently.

"Daddy, look!" my daughter called out for me. I turned around to see her letting one of her mother's favourite vases flying through the room. She was ahead of her age in many ways, first of all the abilities she had inherited from me. Cassandra was even more impressed than I was, but she was not very fond of treasured family heirlooms hovering through the house.

"You are doing very well, Astrid, but do not let your mother see you practising your levitation spells with her breakable belongings," I replied and took the vase where it floated and placed it back on the shelf.

She peeked up at me sheepishly. "Sorry, papa. I just thought that would motivate me more."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if the vase gets broken, mommy will be very sad and I don't want mommy to be sad."

"About what would I be sad?" Cassandra asked from the door way; I swear to the Allfather's beard that this woman had the ability to teleport and just did not want to admit it.

"Nothing, dearest," I replied, smiling at my wife who raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sure. Anyways, we are going grocery shopping now." She leant in and kissed me briefly, earning herself a retching sound from our daughter.

"Wait until you get into the age to like boys."

"Heaven forbid," I mumbled and pulled my little one close.

An hour had passed. I had been reading, but tired of the history book I was holding. So I had fallen asleep. Yet, I was rude awoken by the growl of thunder. Directly above the house. I could see a flash of red and knew that this was the end of it. He entered through the patio door and stood rigidly in front of me.

"Brother, finally, I have found thee," Thor exclaimed with a shocked expression.

"Not that his expression could compare with mine. "No, you've not. You must be mistaken, I don't even know you."

Thor looked at me with wide eyes. "Loki, stop this charade. What are you doing here on Midgard? Why have you concealed yourself?"

"Because I have found everything I've always wanted."

"If this is about this Midgardian-"

"Her name is Cassandra, for Heaven's sake!"

"If this is about her, you have broken the rules once again. No Asgardian is allowed-"

"I am not an Asgardian! That is why I have let go all those years ago. That is why I am here. And I will not leave them here, all alone, like-"

"Them? Brother, do not tell me that you…"

"I have a real family, and if you are going to take that from me, you are just as much of a monster as I am!"

"You have doomed yourself, brother."

"Why is that?! What about your Midgardian woman? I know that you are together. Why can't you just leave us be?!"

Just as I said, or rather yelled that, the front door opened and the cheerful call of 'we're home' echoed from the hallway. I turned towards it, seeing my wife and daughter smiling at me. However, my wife's face morphed into a shocked and anxious grimace, realization striking hard. My poor Astrid did not quite comprehend the situation when her mother picked her up and sneaked into the kitchen.

"Was that them, brother?" Thor inquired calmly.

"I am not your brother," I dodged his question.

At that, Thor set his course for the kitchen.

"Stay away from them," I warned him, glaring at him. I would rather die trying to get to safety than let any harm befall them.

"You know I have no other-"

"If you even dare to think about touching them, I will instantly kill you," I threatened and Thor knew I was serious.

"It is your own fault, brother." With that, he strode towards the kitchen. I did not know what was wrong with me at that moment. I could not move. From fear. I could not move a single muscle. I could only watch Thor approaching the only ones I have left…

"Don't you dare to touch her," my wife hissed at Thor and finally, I came out of my stupor. Thor was standing in the kitchen, looking down at them sitting on the tiled floor in an attempt to hide, an apologetic look on his face. Cassandra had our daughter behind her, glaring at Thor and holding a knife in her other hand, always aiming at Thor's head. He took a step closer, she took one back.

"NO!" I ran forward, grabbed Thor by his shoulder and threw him backwards. He fell. "Take care of yourselves." I looked them both in the eyes as I casted my spell.

"Loki!" Cassandra called as she, as well as Astrid, disappeared in a golden shimmer. I sank to my knees and sighed, before I was being hauled up to my feet once more.

"Where are they?" Thor thundered.

"I sent them off. I know not where."

"Tell me where they are!"

I stayed as calm as I possibly could when I replied, "Even if I knew, I would never tell you. You can torture me, cut me into a thousand tiny pieces, but I shall never let you hurt them."

"This will have dire consequences." And so, he grabbed me by the shoulder and led me outside into the garden. The rainbow-colored shine encompassed us as the familiar feeling of being pulled through a straw came over me. I opened my eyes to find myself standing inside the golden structure that was the rebuilt Bifrost.

"Heimdall, where are they?" Thor inquired.

"I know not, my prince," Heimdall's mighty voice came from my left, but I did not pay it much attention. "His spell has worked."

The Allfather decided on my fate. I was to be imprisoned. A life-long sentence. I was not to be killed, because of my mother's insistence.

And here I was now.

Sitting inside a three-walled prison, the fourth wall being a force-field and billions of miles apart from my loved ones.


	6. 54

_Fifty-four..._

I know he's still alive. Even if he was captured by anyone, he would never tell anyone where we were. His spell was powerful and lasting. Until he died. That's why I know he's still with us. If he had been dead, we would be, too.

Being home alone gnawed at my nerves. With Astrid studying in Venice, I was all by myself.

Even if I was sure that he was still among the living, I highly doubted that he would come back to us.

I know that they are still alive. If they were not, I would have been told that, probably even attending their execution, begging them to do the same with me. My spell still protected them.

My daughter was a demi-god, but she was just as mortal as her mother. They would die before I would if they only kept me prisoner. As cruel and cold-hearted as it sounded, but I hoped that it would be the case. Them living and eventually dying in peace…

I often asked myself what they were doing at this very moment.


	7. 80

_Eighty..._

Finally.

I did not know how, but I certainly would not ask about it.

I had managed to escape.

I had fled to Alfheim, hiding there for a couple of week, planning my next steps. They even searched the lands for me, but I was able to fool them.

When I finally arrived on Midgard, disguised, of course, it was not very difficult to find her. With the teleportation spell, I had also casted a tracking spell on her, however, one only I was able to use, for safety reason.

The trace led me to what Midgardians call a 'nursing home'. I entered and told one of the maids my name. She gave me directions to a room where a certain Mrs. Cassandra Lorris lay. On my way to said room, I noticed the heavy atmosphere. There was a kind of desperation, fear, and grief in the air. I knew something was not right when the nurses looked at me sympathically. I only hoped it was not too late…

I came to her door and knocked before I entered, knowing she might be too weak to call me in. and there she lay. In the bed by the open window. It was a beautiful day in summer, as cliché as it sounds. The sun lit up her face, making her look just as angelic as on the first time I had laid eyes on her.

She must have noticed my presence, as she opened her eyes and turned her head to me. She blinked a few times as she watched me. "Loki," she croaked finally, smiling as she recognized me.

"Hello, dearest," I smiled back, trying to mask my pain. She was withering away.

"You knew this would happen, sweetheart."

I looked at her, wide-eyed. "What?"

She smiled sadly. "You knew this would happen," she repeated. "You always knew it would end like this. I'm only a mortal. You've seen me growing up and aging. You knew I would-"

"NO!" I involuntarily shouted. "No…"

"Yes, Loki. You can have any woman you'd want. Why would you bother visiting an old woman?"

"Because I love you," I chocked. She was right. I had known all along, but I tried to block it out.

A few days later, it was over. I was told that she had died peacefully in her sleep.


	8. Valhalla

The battle was over. We had won. We had fallen. Our enemies were powerful, but we had defeated them. But it had cost me a lot.

After Cassandra's death, I had not seen a reason to hide from the Asgardians anymore and it did not take long until Thor paid me another visit. He was not forcing me to return, he was begging, telling me 'we' were attacked. The foes Asgard had to face were powerful and the Allfather did not know what to do anymore.

So I agreed to help. My mother was in tears when she saw me walking into the throne room. She had known everything, even expressed sympathy for my loss.

But I did not have time to grief, however, when we heard the growl of the explosion right outside the gates. The skies of Asgard turned black, blocking the sun and submerging the realm into almost complete darkness. In the remaining, dim light, we could still identify our surroundings.

The appearance of the Bifrost, however, seemed to be off… not only off… the rainbow bridge, the only way to evacuate the civilians quickly, should the worst case scenario take place, shattered to piece, making it impossible to reach the life-saving portal. I stared, horrified, at the creatures that had started to invade the city. Their origin was unknown to me. It turned out that there was nothing I could have possibly done to protect anyone after I had tried to attack them.

…

Everyone fought, most of them fell, slaughtered by those vile beasts. I searched feverishly for a solution, a possibility to defeat them, but they forced me back to the shattered remains of the bridge. In a desperate attempt to save my life, I fired, bombarded them with everything I had, but it was to no avail. I was trapped between them and the waters beneath me. They saw their chance and attacked, throwing the dagger-like spikes on their backs at me. Just in time, I could deflect their attacks by shooting a ball of concentrated energy. The spikes lit up and exploded, causing the monsters to howl and shield their eyes from the bright light.

That was their weakness. I should have thought of this before. I only had to clear up the fog, but how was I supposed to do that? I was surrounded by enemies who aimed their weapons at me once again. And then it dawned me. The only source of energy that could defeat them was buried in the Allfather's treasure room.

The tesseract.

I didn't think anymore. I could not think of a plan, so I just ran for it. I shot them with the lightning bolts of my sceptre, almost creating an aisle through the hordes of beasts. I made my way through the crowd, firing at them as I sprinted back towards the palace.

Breaking down the golden gates, I stormed down the hallway and stairs. I found the room immediately, slamming the doors shut behind me, as I strode over to the altar. I opened the lid of the casket and took it out of its container. This was our only chance for victory.

I turned around and sneaked out of the room, quickly wandering back out, but this time, my destination was the roof of the palace. I took three steps at the time and soon I had reached the top.

I sat the tesseract down on the still smooth floor and took a few steps away, its light illuminating the entire space around me and bathing it in a swirling, blue glow. My sceptre glowed even brighter at being so near to its counterpart. It could begin. So, I closed my eyes and fully concentrated on the energy that was flowing back and forth between me and the cube. I successfully bled out the screams and other horrifying sounds around me and focus on the task at hand.

The cube and my sceptre emitted sparks as the magic took its toll on me. Even through my closed eyelids, I could see everything around me getting brighter. The energy concentrated even further, until it exploded, not literally though. A thick beam of light raced towards the sky. At that moment, I opened my eyes. I could see the clouds becoming thinner and thinner, everything getting lighter.

I looked around. The creatures only took little damage; it was still too dark, but it got better. Deciding it would be best to fight, I jumped from the roof and landed on the next balcony a few floors lower. I jumped again and made my way down the palace.

Back on the battlefield, I instantly stabbed the nearest monster. And I saw that my plan had worked. The creature sank down on the already bloodied ground and slowly died from its injuries. I turned to the next, which was fighting me instead of being surprised. We fought for what seemed like hours and when I thought I had defeated it, everything turned to disadvantage.

In the moment of my apparent victory, just when I had wanted to deliver the final blow, it happened. The beast had picked up a broken lance and stabbed me. The pain was unbearable. I sank to the ground, clutching the wound, or rather the spear. My sight darkened, but it was not because of the fog. It was a deadly blow I had taken. My eyes were tired and before I had hit the ground, my eyes had closed.

…

I opened my eyes and looked around the white space I found myself standing in. The marble floor under my feet sparkled from the light. I wandered around for a while without a special situation and I began to ask myself if I was already in Helheim.

As I moved on, a thick, dark fog built up around me. For a moment I thought I was back in Asgard again.

"Stop!" a mighty female voice echoed from the invisible walls of this realm and I knew exactly where I was when I heard the steps of giant feet approaching me. "Who is there?" The impressive figure of Modgudur, the Giant that guarded the bridges to the afterlives, Helheim and Valhalla stood in front of me.

"I am Loki, son of Laufey," I replied in a steady voice, trying to make out her face in the dense, cloud-like fog.

"Yes, Laufeyson. I have heard of your deeds on the battlefield. We did think that, after the death of your beloved, you would choose another way out of your life."

"So did I, good Modgudur, so did I," I murmured with a bitter smile. What was Valhalla if I was all alone?

"You found your end on the battlefield. Your soul shall find its rest in Valhalla," Modgudur proclaimed and took a step to the left, revealing the realm of Valhalla. It resembled Asgard a lot, its walls golden and standing up so high. The fog lifted further, a white path taking its place instead, leading me up to the realm of heroes. "Go on, find your rest."

I knew I could not refuse her, so I did as she told. It was truly the end. Those who died and an honourable death on the battlefield came to Valhalla, the ones who died of age, sickness or were murdered, went to Helheim. Helheim was not a place of punishment or pain. It resembled the realm the deceased originally came from. The person continued living there.

So I wandered towards the palace-like structure, half-unwillingly. I would never, ever see her again…

I reached the magnificent gates before I had even realized it. If my life had not ended yet, I would have ended it myself now.

"Son of Laufey, you have proven yourself worthy," the Valkyrie guarding the doors said. "I hereby welcome you to the realm of Valhalla."

The massive gates swung open and revealed the wide halls of the afterlife. I walked over the threshold and glanced around. Everyone was merry and celebrating, as if they had achieved the greatest victory in all the nine realms.

I turned away, too great was my grief and my pain of losing my love and being so near, yet so far from her. For a brief moment, I contemplated if there was a way for my soul to commit suicide, but would that even be possible if you were already dead?

"Son of Laufey!" called the Valkyrie again. "It seems you have forgotten something very important." What was she talking about? I had come here without anything. What could I possibly have forgotten? "The Allfather told us to bring you something very dear to you."

It did not make any sense and why had the Allfather intervened? "What are you speaking of, Valkyrie? What is the meaning of this?"

"The Allfather has informed us that you have been fighting for all your life, that you have fought not only for yourself. You have protected those you loved, even though you were forbidden to do so. You even took imprisonment upon you and for this, the Allfather wants to reward you."

My eyes went wide when I could literally see what she meant. She stood there in a beautiful Asgardian robe. But she was not the old woman I had last seen here as. Cassandra stood before me as the gorgeous, young woman I had married.

"Hello, Loki," she chirped, smiling at me while I walked up to her.

* * *

The End!

That's it guy... even though it's quite an open end...

But anyways, please, tell me what you think about this story, what you liked or what not, mistakes I made or possible improvements (this also entails grammar, punctuation, vocabulary I used, etc. if you want to talk about that), or just your general opinion.

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